Songs of the Russian People

by W. R. S. Ralston

[1872]

This book, despite its title, is a treasure-trove
of Slavic mythology, tradition, folklore and ethnography.
There are plenty of songs, not only from Russia but every
part of the Slavic region from Serbia to Siberia.
The songs are used as a starting point for a wide-ranging discussion
of pre-industrial Slavic peasant life,
including weddings, funerals, witchcraft, demonology,
games, riddles, and seasonal traditions.
Also covered are the details of Russian pagan religion and
mythology, with comparisons to related topics such as Vedic and
Germanic mythology.

Lacking are samples or analysis of the songs in the original language
(except for a very brief treatment in appendix B),
and there are no musical transcriptions or descriptions of dance.
However, the massive, well documented, and very entertaining
collection of Slavic traditions in this book more than makes up for this
deficiency.